by Nicole Ellis
Celia looked away, toward the curtain that separated her living area from her roommate’s. “I can’t pay it.” She rubbed her temples. “Charlie’s life insurance ran out last year, and now I can only afford the bare necessities.”
Zoe studied Celia’s face. “Why didn’t you say anything before?”
Celia shrugged. “I’m on my own. Who would have helped me?” Tears rimmed her eyes.
Zoe leaned over to hug the older woman. “That’s not true at all. You have all of us: me, Meg, Cassie, Debbie, Elizabeth, Libby, and Samantha. Not to mention, you have Shawn now. And that’s just a few of the people you’ve helped over the years. We would have been glad to give back to you if you’d only asked.”
Celia looked down at her hands. “It’s too late now, though, isn’t it? I’m out of time and money.”
Zoe sighed. “I wish I could tell you no, but we contacted the county, and they’re unwilling to give you more time. You have to move out within the next month.”
Celia pressed her lips together, as if trying to hold back a sob. She took a shallow breath. “But I’ll still be in this place for at least a month. How will I get everything packed to move?”
“Like I said, we’re here for you.” Zoe patted her arm. “I’m still hoping for a miracle to save the Inn, but if it doesn’t appear, all of us are here to help you.”
Celia heaved a shuddering sigh, then nodded. “Thank you.” She eyed the clock on the wall. “The physical therapist will be here soon to help me exercise, and you’d better get going. I don’t want you to be driving there in the dark.”
Zoe smiled. Celia was always thinking about someone else’s needs rather than her own. “I’ll be okay. But if it makes you feel better, I’ll leave now. I think Shawn is planning on visiting later this afternoon.”
“Enjoy your time with your family. You work so hard, and I’m glad you have a chance to get home to see them.” Celia picked up the book that she’d tented over the blankets. “It’s important to spend time with those you love.” She gave her a brave smile. “And don’t worry about me. I always knew losing the Inn was a possibility. I’ll be fine.”
“I know, but I still feel bad that I couldn’t do more.” Zoe bent down to hug her again. “I’ll see you in a few days.”
“See you soon.” Celia lifted her book closer to her face, and Zoe left her room.
Zoe drove away from the rehabilitation center with a pit in her stomach. Celia seemed to have outwardly accepted that she’d need to move, but how did she really feel about it? Knowing how important the Inn was to Celia, Zoe had a hard time believing that she would be okay with moving.
The drive to Candle Beach passed in a blur. After being landlocked on multilane freeways and highways for much of the trip, Zoe’s stress levels eased as the massive waves of the Pacific Ocean came into view. The highway mimicked the curves of the rugged shoreline as it snaked north through dense tunnels of trees and stump-littered land that had been logged within the past decade.
Zoe had arranged to have time off for her grandfather’s birthday party six months ago, but Pearson had tried to cancel her vacation. She’d told him that she was not going to change her plans, and he’d huffed off. She wasn’t entirely sure she’d have a job when she got back, but the event was too important to miss.
The party for Pops was supposed to be a surprise, so she didn’t stop in Haven Shores to see him before continuing on to her bed and breakfast in Candle Beach. The party would be held at Sorensen Farm, an event center owned by Maggie Price, a friend of her brother’s. Being in the same business, Zoe was curious to see how Maggie had renovated the old barn where the party would be held.
She caught a glimpse of Sorensen Farm as she drove around Bluebonnet Lake, but she wanted to keep her attention on the curvy road. Soon, she was driving down Main Street in Candle Beach. It reminded her a lot of Willa Bay with its cute shops, parks, and lack of stoplights.
The Beehive B&B was a few blocks from Main Street and looked like it had been an old motor court that had been remodeled in the last decade. Baskets of flowers hung from the eaves, with tendrils of red and white fuchsias dangling in the air. Zoe checked in and chatted with the owner for a few minutes, then decided to take a nap before dinner.
At half past five, Zoe woke from her nap and hurriedly got ready for dinner with Charlotte and Luke. She’d only met Charlotte once before, and she wanted to make a good impression.
She walked briskly to the Seaside Grill in the center of town and was escorted by a tall waitress to a table by the window. Luke and Charlotte were sitting together on one side of the table, and they stood to greet her as she approached them.
“Hey, sis.” Luke pulled Zoe into an enthusiastic embrace.
“Hey.” His chest muffled her words.
When he finally let her go, Charlotte smiled at her and gave her a light hug. “It’s nice to see you again.”
“It’s nice to see you again too.” Zoe grinned at her, then slid into the seat opposite them. “Thanks for planning Pops’s birthday party. It feels weird not to be involved with such a big event, but I’ve been so busy at work as the wedding season ramps up.”
Charlotte waved her hand in the air. “Don’t even worry about it. Events at the Sorensen Farm practically run themselves.”
Zoe raised an eyebrow. “That’s impressive.”
Luke laughed. “Charlotte may be exaggerating a bit, but Maggie does have a good system in place. I’m excited to see how everything turns out tomorrow night.”
“Do you think Pops knows about it?” Zoe asked, sipping the glass of ice water the waitress had set in front of her.
He shook his head. “I don’t think so. But I’m pretty sure his friend Joe would have spilled the beans if he’d had to keep the secret too much longer. Every time I visit Pops, Joe is just bursting to say something.”
The waitress stopped by to see if they were ready to order, and Zoe realized she’d been so busy catching up that she hadn’t looked at the menu yet. She scanned the entrées, but couldn’t decide. There were too many good options.
“We’re going to need a few minutes.” Luke flashed a smile at the waitress, who nodded and walked away.
“Sorry,” Zoe said. “I’ll try to choose quickly.”
“Uh-huh,” Luke said. “When have you ever made a decision without fully investigating all of the options?”
Zoe rolled her eyes at him. “I’m not that bad.” She closed her menu. “In fact, I’m going to get the salmon with roasted vegetables.”
“Are you sure?” His eyes danced. “The shrimp scampi is excellent too, and I know how much you love shrimp.”
Charlotte elbowed him in the ribs. “Stop teasing your sister.”
Zoe shot Charlotte a grateful look. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, no problem.” Charlotte laughed. “I know how difficult he can be.” She eyed Luke lovingly, and he kissed the top of her head.
“You have your moments too,” he said.
The waitress returned, and they placed their orders. When they were done and the waitress had gone, Luke fixed his eyes on Zoe. “So, how is everything going in Willa Bay?”
After the good-natured banter between the three of them, thinking about her job at the Lodge was like having a bucket of cold water dumped over her head. She stared at the table.
“Is something wrong?” Luke asked. “Are things okay at the Lodge?”
“Yes … I mean, no.” She sighed. “I thought I was going to be promoted to the events manager position when my current boss left this week, but instead, the Lodge’s owner gave the job to his son-in-law, who’s never worked in the industry a day in his life.
Charlotte’s eyes widened. “Really? That’s awful.”
Luke pressed his lips together. “I’m sorry, Zoe. I know how much you wanted that job.”
She shrugged. “Yeah, well, now I’m stuck in my current job for the foreseeable future.”
“Are you thinking of trying to find someth
ing somewhere else?” Charlotte asked. “Maybe you could come back here?”
Luke’s eyes lit up. “Pops and I would love for you to come back here.”
“I don’t know that Candle Beach or Haven Shores offer more options for event management jobs than Willa Bay,” Zoe said. “They’re all small towns.”
“What if you started a business here?” Luke asked. “Maybe you could buy a renovated house and manage your own B&B or event space.”
“Yeah,” Charlotte said excitedly. “My brother and a friend of his have a business flipping houses in town. I bet they could find you something that would work. We could definitely use another B&B in Candle Beach. Even with the new hotel, we’re still bursting at the seams during tourist season.”
Zoe stared at them. Had they lost their minds? “This may shock you, but event planning doesn’t pay big bucks. I’m fairly broke. Where would I get the money to buy a B&B in Candle Beach?”
Charlotte and Luke exchanged glances.
“If you need a silent partner, I’m your guy,” Luke said.
“You’d invest in a business for me to run?” Zoe asked. “How can you afford that?” She knew he’d made good money while working at a San Francisco dot-com, but he’d bought a food truck he now ran in Candle Beach. Those weren’t cheap to purchase or operate.
A wide smile spread across his face. “When I left the tech company I was with, I cashed in my stock options. After a few good investments, I have more than enough to live on. Heck, I could buy the Sorensen Farm twenty times over.”
Zoe sat back in her chair, processing what he’d said. Pops had alluded to Luke having money, but it had never come up when she’d spoken with her brother, and she hadn’t wanted to ask. Still, though, it made her queasy to think of borrowing money from anyone, let alone her brother. What if her business failed? She didn’t want to let anyone down.
“Thank you for the offer, but I think I’m going to stay with my job at the Lodge for now.”
He eyed her dubiously. “Okay, but I was serious. I’m always looking for good business investments, and I can’t think of anyone I trust more than you to run an event planning business.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” She laughed, but her mood was solemn. This conversation had turned serious all too rapidly. “How are things here in Candle Beach? How are the wedding plans going?”
“Everything’s going according to plan.” Charlotte’s face glowed with happiness. “We’ve got the grounds at the hotel booked for the ceremony and then we’ll have the reception at the Sorensen Farm.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?” Zoe asked. It struck her as ironic that she was an event planner, and yet she wasn’t around to help her own brother with his wedding.
“There is one thing.” Luke’s face was devoid of expression, and she wondered if something was bothering him.
“Anything.” Zoe leaned forward in her seat.
A smile cracked his stolid demeanor. “Would you be my best man? Or rather, best woman?”
A thrill shot through her. “Really? Don’t you want one of your friends to do it?”
He grinned. “I can’t think of anyone I’d rather have standing up there with me on my big day. You’ve been with me through thick and thin, ever since we were kids. But don’t worry, I’ll have one of my buddies plan the bachelor party. You’re off the hook on that one.”
“Hey,” Zoe said. “I am an event planner. I bet I could plan the best party ever – maybe a garden tour with afternoon tea. I know how much you love those little sandwiches.”
A look of mock-terror came over his face. Next to him, Charlotte’s mouth twitched as she attempted to keep from smiling.
“I’m joking!” Zoe laughed. “I’ll make the sandwiches hearty.”
He scowled at her. “I think I’d rather have Parker plan the bachelor party.” He shook his head. “A garden tour …”
“That may be for the best.” Zoe winked at him, then turned to Charlotte. “Make sure to invite me for your bachelorette party though. I’d love to come up here early to help with it.”
“I’ll let Amelia know. She’s taken on that responsibility.” Charlotte sighed. “I can’t believe it’s only three months away. It seems like we’ve been planning it for ages.”
“I know the feeling.” Zoe smiled. Now they were speaking her language.
“Candle Beach could use a good wedding planner,” Charlotte said. “I’m sure Maggie could use the help at the Sorensen Farm.”
“Yeah, yeah, I get it. You want me to move here. You guys can quit the hard sell.” Zoe laughed.
“She’s onto us!” Luke said to Charlotte, who rolled her eyes at him in response.
Their food arrived, and they all tucked into their entrées, chatting in between bites. The way Luke looked at Charlotte made Zoe a little envious. They had such a strong connection, and she wondered if she’d ever feel that way about someone. She’d thought there might have been something between herself and Shawn, but he’d been somewhat distant since Celia woke up, so she wondered if she’d misread the situation.
After a long dinner followed by dessert, the three of them talked for a few minutes more on the sidewalk outside the restaurant. Zoe declined their offer of a nightcap at Charlotte’s apartment. She was exhausted from the long drive from Willa Bay and wanted to make sure she was fresh for Pops’s birthday party the next day.
“See you tomorrow.” Zoe hugged both of them, then walked down the side street to her B&B. She turned back one time and saw them walking with their arms around each other’s waists, up the hill toward Charlotte’s apartment over the bookstore.
The Sunday afternoon of Pops’s party was sunny, and close to seventy degrees out. Zoe put on the white-and-pink flowered sundress that she’d bought for the occasion and brushed her dark hair until it shone. She assessed her reflection in the mirror and applied more blush to her pale cheeks. With Celia’s hospitalization and everything going on at the Lodge, she’d lost too much weight, giving her face a gaunt appearance.
Luke and Charlotte’s proposition for her to buy a B&B in Candle Beach may not have been the right move for her at this time, but for the sake of her health, she needed to make some decisions soon about her future at the Lodge. But this wasn’t the time to dwell on her problems. This was a day to celebrate one of the most important men in her life and everything he’d done for her.
Zoe had about two hours to spare before the party, so she got in her car and drove out to the Candle Beach Hotel, which was a few miles out of town. She’d met one of the owners last year when he’d come to see the Willa Bay Lodge and she was eager to see what he’d done with the historic property. From what she’d heard, it had been in pretty bad shape when he’d taken on the project.
She parked in the gravel parking lot and walked along a path of white oyster shells until she stood in front of the hotel. It perched on a cliff overlooking the Pacific Ocean. The renovations didn’t disappoint. It had been painted white and featured a wide, covered porch that wrapped around the building.
She continued walking along the path to get a better view of the exterior. Adirondack chairs had been placed along the back of the deck to take advantage of the expansive water view. Across the lawn, at the edge of the cliff, a gazebo – much like the one at the Inn at Willa Bay – watched over the grounds and the beach below. She backtracked along the path and climbed the short flight of stairs to the raised porch and entrance to the hotel.
Inside, a woman behind the front desk greeted her with a broad smile. “Hello. May I help you? Do you have a reservation for tonight?”
Zoe smiled back at her and moved closer to the desk. “No, I’m actually staying in town because you were completely booked for this weekend. But I met one of the hotel owners last spring, and I wanted to see how the renovations had turned out.”
“Aidan or Amelia?” the woman asked.
“Aidan.” Zoe looked around the room. “I actually work for the historic Willa Bay Lodge, no
rth of Seattle, and Aidan and Maura came up to tour it to get some ideas for this hotel.”
“Oh, that’s so great that you were able to come and see it.” The woman leaned forward giving Zoe the opportunity to see her name tag: Tania. “Actually, Aidan should be back soon if you want to take a quick tour.”
Zoe checked her watch. There was still plenty of time to get to the Sorensen Farm before the party started. “Sure, that’d be great.”
The woman lifted the phone receiver and spoke to someone, then set it down and turned to Zoe. “He’ll be here in a few minutes.”
Zoe nodded and looked around the room. An antique loveseat sat under the window, its dark-blue fabric accented by the black-and-white floral tiles. Everything came together to give off the vibe of a comfortable, yet elegant lodging. “I love the decor.”
“Oh, I know.” Tania beamed. “Amelia, the other owner, is an interior decorator. She designed everything in here.”
That explained it. Most designers took pride in their work, but this design was warmer and more personal than Zoe usually saw. If she ever had a place of her own, she’d definitely try to hire this interior decorator. Her thoughts came to a halt, and she stared into space. What was she thinking? Luke and Charlotte had gotten into her head with their talk of her owning a B&B or event space of her own. It was such a fantastical dream that it was laughable.
“Zoe.” A man’s voice broke through her trance. Aidan gave her a short hug and then stepped back. “It’s good to see you! What brings you to Candle Beach?”
“It’s Pops’s eighty-fifth birthday party this afternoon.” She gestured to the room with a sweep of her hand. “You’ve done a wonderful job with this place.”
He puffed up a little. “It’s all thanks to my sister, Amelia. Well, ninety-five percent of it is Amelia’s doing. I handled the major structural projects, but she came up with the interior concepts.” He peered at her. “How are things going in Willa Bay?”